A forgotten painter, a volcanic island, and 139 minutes of pure obsession.
Cinematography
Amami Islands shot like living canvases.
Acting
Enoki's physical transformation into raw, feral genius.
Production
Isson's actual works recreated with obsessive accuracy.
Director
Shō Igarashi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Isson was virtually unknown until 1979; this film single-handedly revived his reputation in Japan. The real Adan painting now sells for millions.
Takaaki Enoki trained with actual Amami shamans for six months to capture Isson's physicality. Director Igarashi destroyed three takes where Enoki 'looked too trained.'
JP
